The day has finally come, and the kingdom can rejoice. After years of folks confusing Link and Zelda, players will finally be able to say, I’m playing as Princess Zelda in a The Legend of Zelda game. Yes, Nintendo has revealed that in the upcoming new Zelda game, Zelda, the princess of Hyrule, will be your playable hero, while Link has mysteriously vanished into a strange rift. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom will also introduce a brand-new weapon for Zelda, the Tri Rod, and offer a unique form of gameplay that will challenge the cleverness of its players. You can take a look at playable Zelda in the announcement trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

Playable Zelda Is Here in New The Legend of Zelda Game Trailer

The synopsis for this new Legend of Zelda game shares:

It’s up to Zelda and her wisdom to save the kingdom of Hyrule in a brand-new story in The Legend of Zelda series. The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts that have appeared, with a certain swordsman among the missing. Team up with the mysterious fairy, Tri, and use the power of the Tri Rod to create echoes – imitations of things found in the environment. Then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes of water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes – or find your own creative combination of echoes to do things your way. You can even create echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat.

We’re thrilled to see Zelda shine here, although we hope one day she gets to do so in one of The Legend of Zelda‘s more elaborate outings. Still, we will celebrate this victory for her and us!

When Does The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Release?

Zelda’s day in the sun is almost here. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom releases on September 26. Echoes of Wisdom is a Nintendo Switch game. A Nintendo Switch Lite inspired by The Legend of Zelda series will also be available at launch. We’re sure all of this will be available for pre-order soon on Nintendo’s website.

Playable Zelda, here we come!

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The beauty of modern video gaming is all the many layers of fun players can make for themselves. You have the intrinsic joy of playing the game as intended. That is, after all, what the devs toiled over for sleepless nights on end. Next is the goofy fun of finding unintended styles of play that nevertheless work out in your favor. Then there are the people who are so godlike they manage to break the game the day it comes out. Yes, someone has already beaten Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, by most estimations a 70-80 hour game, in just over 90 minutes.

We saw this first at VideoGamesChronicle. The gamer gymnast86 posted their playthrough of the newest open-world Zelda game mere hours after release. In just that time, they already found a speedrun path to completion. They did not use an amiibo for this playthrough, either. The gamer notes that many of the glitches present in Breath of the Wild are not in Tears of the Kingdom. Those glitches helped speedrunners decimate that massive game in a matter of minutes. So while 94 minutes seems incredibly fast, especially in the first 24 hours, gymnast86 hastens to add this number will only go down.

Spoilers follow in the video:

The speedrunning community has come to the fore in the past decade-plus. People spend hundreds of hours practicing with games to get the runtime of any individual playthrough as low as it can get. It never ceases to amaze me. Any little misfire can end a run in failure. We should note, it is, like Breath of the Wild, possible to go straight to the final boss in Tears of the Kingdom. You can do it; just most people will die from under-leveling. But if someone can beat it in 94 minutes on day one, just think of how fast it’ll be next month.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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2022 was, for many people, a fairly whatever year when it comes to big-name AAA video games. Sure we had God of War Ragnarök and Game-of-the-Year Elden Ring, but beyond that, it was pretty lackluster. Not so, it seems, for 2023. While we obviously can’t know if any of the hotly anticipated titles will be good, we do know we’re very excited for some huge games to hit shelves this year. From superheroes to street fighters, these are the video games, so far, that have us ready to spend hours and hours glued to our PCs and consoles.

Here they are in order of when they’ll (probably) come out.

Dead Space Remake – January 27

Survival horror games are coming back in a big, bad way thanks to a bevy of high-profile remakes from the ’90s and ’00s. Add to that list Motive Studios and EA’s much ballyhooed remake of 2008’s seminal space horror game, Dead Space. This would be the first Dead Space game since 2013’s Dead Space 3, a critical disappointment coming off of the stellar first two parts. (See what I did there?)

The game is said to follow the original’s plot. You take control of Isaac Clarke, an engineer on a deep space repair vessel who finds himself seemingly the lone human survivor onboard a massive derelict mining ship full of zombified and mutated creatures. The developers plan to utilize “uninterrupted sequence shot“, absent of loading screens, akin to God of War. They also promise no microtransactions, which was one of Dead Space 3‘s most hated features.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – March 17

To say that people were happy with 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is an understatement. For the first time under EA, fans got a single-player Star Wars game with elements of the beloved Dark Souls series. Those elements, including unlockable looping paths, challenging combat, and massive boss battles, worked incredibly well in the Star Wars universe. A sequel seemed all but assured.

For Jedi: Survivor, players will pick up with Jedi-in-hiding Cal Kestis five years after the first game, roughly placing it at the time of the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series. Cal has an even harder time dodging the Empire now that he’s on their radar.

The devs promise to have more customization in terms of lightsaber styles and combat than the first game. This includes several new dedicated “stances” and an opportunity to use a Kylo Ren-style crossbar saber.

Resident Evil 4 Remake – March 24

After a good long while where the preeminent survival horror franchise got way too bloated with weird gameplay and lore, Capcom reinvented Resident Evil in two distinct ways. One was the new first-person games Resident Evil VII and Resident Evil: Village, two of the most lauded games in recent years. The second has been remakes of beloved second and third games. Updating much of the presentation, and ditching the fixed camera, Resi 2 and 3 made people remember why they loved that franchise in the first place.

Now we add to that Resident Evil 4. It was the first game to feature over-the-shoulder, third-person combat with a larger focus on action. For many, 4 is the best game in the franchise. Seeing it updated for current console generations will be great. While it’ll keep the inventory and merchant system from the original, Capcom says it will “reimagin[e] the storyline of the game while keeping the essence of its direction.” Presumably this means, while president’s daughter Ashley Graham will still need escorting, she’ll be less of a major annoying load. Hopefully anyway.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – May 12

Oh, it’s only a sequel to one of the most popular and beloved games ever. It only launched Nintendo’s most popular console since the N64. But even if neither of those things were true, a new Legend of Zelda game will always be cause for excitement. Tears of the Kingdom will reteam Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi with Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma.

Not a ton else is known about the game at this point. However, in 2019 during the initial announcement, Nintendo said the sequel exists because they had too many ideas for downloadable content for Breath of the Wild. One of those is islands in the sky high above Hyrule. Link will be able to travel between them like in Skyward Sword.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – May 26

This one, like a lot of games, seems like it’s been about to come out for ages. We first saw a glimpse of it during FanExpo 2021, if you can remember that. This will be a single- or four-player co-op game where people can control Harley Quinn, Capt. Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark in a campaign where they have to fight against evil versions of the Justice League. This game comes from Rocksteady Games and takes place in the Arkham universe, but in Metropolis.

One thing we learned recently is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will feature the last performance of the late Kevin Conroy as Batman. That alone makes it a must-play for us.

Street Fighter 6 – June 2

We continue with sequel central come June with the first new mainline Street Fighter game since 2016. The trailer for this one looks wild. Vibrant colors, hilarious minigames, and tons of customization. The game features 18 fighters, six of whom are entirely new to the series. Capcom also promises two control types: the “classic” control scheme has a six-button layout that functions similarly to previous entries, while the “modern” control scheme assigns special moves to a single button combined with a directional input. That means button-mashing will be a viable strategy rather than a hindrance!

Diablo IV – June 6

The action-RPG franchise that began in 1997 is back with its latest numbered outing. Procedurally generated dungeons and loot-focused upgrading that have been hallmarks of the series will return for this game. It will also add new wrinkles like an open world and player-versus-player combat. That latter was something the devs promised for Diablo III back in 2012 but couldn’t deliver. What’s 11 years between friends?

As you can see, this game is very bright and upbeat and full of happiness. Just kidding! It’s a literal hellscape. Fight in a war against the evil Lilith, daughter of Mephisto. (No, not that Mephisto. Not technically for legal reasons.) After the events of previous games, the forces of demons and angels have been depleted, allowing an opening for Lilith to establish power. Presumably, she’s not going to work on her memoir, Angels, Demons, and Me.

Final Fantasy XVI – June 22

Seeeeeeeequellllllllls! Square Enix is back with yet another in the exceedingly long-running Final Fantasy meta series. For those who aren’t super up on their Roman numerals, that’s 16. Official synopsis is as follows:

Valisthea, a world divided between six nations who hold power through access to magical Crystals and Dominants, humans who act as hosts for each nation’s Eikon. Tensions between the nations escalate as a malady dubbed the Blight begins consuming the land. Clive Rosfield, guardian to his younger brother Joshua, witnesses his kingdom destroyed and goes on a revenge quest in pursuit of the dark Eikon Ifrit.

The game will feature both melee and magic-casting combat elements, and characters with awesome, wispy hair. As per. Final Fantasy XVI will be a timed exclusive for the PlayStation 5. Like previous installments, however, it will make its way to other consoles afterwards.

Starfield – First Half of 2023

Bethesda, the studio behind the Elder Scrolls and recent Fallout games, will bring their brand of role-playing to space with Starfield. The studio announced the game all the way back at E3 2018 and will be their first new intellectual property in over 25 years. However, it’s not too far out of the norm; director Todd Howard described it as “Skyrim in space.”

The story will take place about 20 years after a massive war between various factions in the Settled Systems, an area of space roughly 50 lightyears outside of our Solar System. The major factions enjoy an uneasy peace, while the player takes control of a customizable character who is a member of the Constellation, a space exploration group. Getting involved in petty squabbles between outland factions? That’s the Bethesda bread and also butter.

Spider-Man 2 – Fall 2023

2018’s Spider-Man was one of the biggest successes of the late-PS4-era. Insomniac Games gave players a massive open world version of Marvel’s Manhattan with tons of sites to see, characters with whom to interact, and baddies to fight. This was followed by the Miles Morales DLC in 2020 which expanded the mythos and the roster of characters. Now, Peter Parker and Miles will team up for the official sequel, which will have both Kraven the Hunter and Candyman himself Tony Todd as the voice of Venom.

Alan Wake II – Sometime in 2023

Remedy Entertainment had themselves a major hit in 2019 with Control, a Weird Fiction extravaganza all inside an ever-changing, unending office building in New York. We learned throughout that game, and especially in one of the DLCs, that Control wasn’t a one-off. It took place in the same universe as Remedy’s earlier Twin Peaks-meets-Stephen King game Alan Wake. Now, with hype for the shared Remedy-verse at an all-time high, the devs are taking players back to Bright Falls for a 13-years-later sequel to Alan Wake before giving us a Control sequel. You sneaky sausages.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Art made with artificial intelligence is starting a lot of conversations. One artist’s masterful use of the AI program Midjourney tricked a lot of people into thinking Tom Holland will be playing Link in a The Legend of Zelda Netflix movie. And honestly, we’d watch it. Unfortunately, it’s not real. Yet. After all, Holland’s track record of wish fulfillment casting includes his most famous role as Spider-Man. But maybe Dan Leveille’s AI art could very well be the first step to making this a reality. He shared a variety of posters showing Holland as the Hylian hero. They vary in their realism and ear pointy-ness, but on the whole, the character design is stunning. The project also spread to fan-casting every character a The Legend of Zelda movie… And also to casting Tom Holland as every character in a The Legend of Zelda movie called Temple of Tom.

Tom Holland as Link in AI Art

We saw these amazing “teaser photos” on Geeks Are Sexy. While we continue to wait for that Breath of the Wild sequel, let’s add “Tom Holland plays Link in a Legend of Zelda movie” to our wish list. Leveille’s Instagram feed is full of other AI art, including other versions of Link as well as realistic versions of Super Mario characters.

Leveille took it one step farther after the artwork gained popularity online. He had OpenAI’s GPT-3 program write a script to go with them. The prompt? Link revealing he’s gay. It’s great and leads to dialogue like “I’m not just the hero of time, I’m also the hero of gayness.” Again, we’d watch it. Just maybe not the version where every line is delivered in the voice of an AI program.  

The Full Cast of the AI-Generated The Legend of Zelda Movie

Now, the whole cast of Netflix’s fake live-action Zelda can also be seen via AI. Take a look at what Leville created. From Emma Watson as Zelda to Idris Elba as Ganon to Gemma Chan as the Great Fairy to Sadie Sink as Malon, we support this whole cast.

Tom Holland as Every Character in The Legend of Zelda

Hilariously, many across the internet missed that this Tom Holland-led The Legend of Zelda movie came from an AI generator. Unsurprisingly, parts the internet believed Tom Holland would really star in the fake Netflix production. (He won’t!) In the spirit of that, Leville created even more AI art for his fictional piece. In this latest version of The Legend of Zelda meets Tom Holland, Tom Holland actually plays every role in the movie. Leville calls this movie: Temple of Tom.

Check it out:

This artwork is certainly less unsettling than some other movie posters created using Midjourney and a similar program called DALL-E. Midjourney has also shown what characters from The Simpsons would look like in real life. This version of fan-casting is an interesting use of AI. We’re intrigued.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

Originally published on September 20, 2022.

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Now you can see some of the coolest moves possible in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. YouTuber Duplex Link has released a Breath of the Wild combat montage, which we first saw on Kotaku.

This video takes viewers through different sequences in Breath of the Wild and showcases their gameplay to the fullest degree. The combat montage begins with an ominous edict, “protect her…” and culminates with Link and Ganon’s ultimate showdown. In between, Duplex Link shows off a series of explosive flips, leaps, and motorcycle tricks, as he demolishes his enemies.

This intense highlights reel allows fans to see a true mastery of gameplay. Link fells one fearsome foe after another with startling ease. On-screen, viewers see the thought process behind toggling between weapons, taking careful aim, and more. The Breath of the Wild combat montage also takes players across this Zelda universe. Breath of the Wild is renowned for its cinematic settings and breathtaking locations. While these don’t take center stage here, they are fully evident in the background of many a fierce battle.

Duplex Link/Game by Nintendo

Though a combat montage seems like it could get repetitive or boring, Duplex Link smartly sets the mood. Action sequences are inset with cut-scenes that ground the story behind the fighting. Duplex Link shares, “Link must redeem himself after falling in battle by destroying Ganon in order to fulfill the King’s request of protecting Princess Zelda.” Additionally, fantastical music keeps everything feeling appropriately intense. This montage piques interest in the game without giving away its whole plot.

Its last frames are the most movie-trailer feeling of all. Princess Zelda appears to wield her power for a split second before the scene fades. The video finishes with Link walking solo into a sky laden with rainbows. He heads out into the horizon alone, the darkness of the battles behind him. But thanks to this incredible Breath of the Wild combat montage, Link’s displays of strength will not soon be forgotten.

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Nintendo

Nintendo’s triumvirate consists of a portly Italian man, a yellow mouse that channels electricity, and a sword-wielding elf wearing green. Mario and Pikachu are inarguably some of video games’ biggest icons. To a certain population, Link and Zelda are nothing more than spammy projectile characters in Super Smash Bros. As pop culture celebrates 35 years of Hyrule, however, apathy toward the franchise allows for examination untinged by nostalgia. Fandom is not a prerequisite for respect. You don’t need to obsess over Link, Zelda, and the rest of Hyrule in order to appreciate this intrepid franchise. 

Shigeru Miyamoto—the creative mind behind Mario, Donkey Kong, and others—sought to imbue 1986’s The Legend of Zelda with the sense of excitement and wonder he felt exploring the Kyoto countryside as a child. This makes Link’s adventures through Hyrule perhaps Miyamoto’s most personal creation. Childhood sensations, such as the euphoria of discovering something new in your environment or the frustration of getting lost, are in the franchise’s very DNA. For those who aren’t diehard fans of the series, however, it is possible to push those intimate origins aside. And also to appreciate the contributions to the global zeitgeist that have made it so indelible for 35 years. 

Nintendo

When The Legend of Zelda released in 1986, it fully utilized every technical advancement that video games had to offer at that point and provided an experience unlike any that had come before it. Before then, no console game allowed players to save their progress on the game cartridge and The Legend of Zelda’s battery-backed RAM storing completely changed the at-home gaming experience. Suddenly, you were able to play games over the course of days or months, across multiple sessions. This only added to the weighty, epic feel of Link’s adventure across Hyrule. People take it for granted, but a generation of gamers has The Legend of Zelda to thank every time they save their progress.

Nintendo

 Over the years, Zelda games have explored the interactivity of their medium in ways that few others have. Modern AAA titles like The Last of Us and, more recently, Cyberpunk 2077 are heavy on plot, characters, and exposition which at times just makes them feel like interactive movies. Zelda rejected traditional storytelling techniques and, instead, presented a simple, trope-heavy plot and a voiceless playable character named after the link he represents between player and game. Legend of Zelda stories always boil down to some variation of Link saving some variation of Princess Zelda.

The game’s puzzles and dungeon crawling aren’t for everyone.  Still, they provide an unparalleled way for players to insert themselves into the narrative. They can choose their own way to traverse through the world. Events in Zelda games don’t happen because you walk up to the correct waypoint and trigger a cutscene; everything that occurs results from players’ interaction with Hyrule and its denizens. 

Phillips/Nintendo

One of the most under-appreciated watershed moments in Nintendo’s history came in the early 1990s. The company partnered with Philips Interactive Media to co-develop a CD-ROM attachment for the SNES. The add-on never hit stores. Still, the companies’ partnership did allow Philips to use Nintendo characters in some early CD-i games. Hotel Mario, Link: The Faces of Evil, and Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon may be mostly lost to history, but the admittedly cursed FMV games represent a divergent point for the two Nintendo franchises.

Nintendo moved on from this licensing snafu forever playing it safe with Super Mario—the franchise most synonymous with the company. They only the kinds of highly polished, meticulously-designed titles fans have come to expect. This is why they remain gaming’s gold standard. The strange, charismatic spirit of King Harkinian lives on in the Legend of Zelda franchise, however. Nintendo continues to prove they aren’t afraid to take bizarre, sometimes gimmicky swings with those titles.

Nintendo

The franchise’s exploratory spirit is apparent from a meta level, too. Through its developers’ desire to test the medium’s potential limits and push video games in new directions. For example, 2007 saw the release of the Wii Zapper, a gun shell peripheral for the Wii remote. Yet, when making the pack-in game for this unremarkable piece of video game history Nintendo didn’t dare risk tarnishing its perfect plumber’s image. Instead, it was Link who would explore the Wii Zapper. The pack-in game Link’s Crossbow Training is a prime example for how Nintendo is willing to take experimental risks with The Legend of Zelda that the company won’t take with other properties.

Other examples of The Legend of Zelda being used to promote and explore Nintendo hardware include the Wii Motion Plus as a requirement to play The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and the Sheikah Slate in Breath of the Wild resembling the Wii U gamepad or Nintendo Switch, depending on the version.

Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda hasn’t only been a trial balloon for Nintendo hardware. Creative risks have also come to define the franchise. A pair of 2019 games exemplify the adventurous spirit that people outside Zelda fandom can appreciate. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening for the Nintendo Switch is a remake of the 1993 Game Boy game of the same name that features a retro-modern, dioramic art style that’s unique within the series.

Even bolder is Cadence of Hyrule—a crossover with 2015’s popular rhythm-based roguelike Crypt of the Necrodancer. Cadence allows fans of the series to incorporate its legendary soundtrack into the game’s actual gameplay; it’s a unique experience that represents how Nintendo’s most critically-acclaimed franchise isn’t afraid to be unabashedly quirky.

Nintendo

Everyone knows that Frankenstein isn’t the name of the monster; Ratatouille isn’t the name of the rat; Zelda isn’t the name of the sword guy in The Legend of Zelda. Perhaps most impressive about the idiosyncratic franchise is the way its adventurous spirit pervades pop culture. 35 years of The Legend of Zelda has given everyone some kind of familiarity with iconography like the triforce, and Ocarina of Time’s popularity is why a whole generation knows what an ocarina is in the first place. You don’t need to play a single Zelda game to reap the continued benefits of the beloved series.

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It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this brand new episode of Explainiac with you and learn all about The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening game for the Nintendo Switch system. The hotly anticipated game comes out on September 20, 2019, and Dan Casey has the inside scoop on what awaits you on Koholint Island.

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Here’s a bit of news that should excite every ’90s kid out there. Nintendo of America has just announced via Twitter that some twenty classic SNES games are all coming soon to Nintendo Switch Online. Among the classic titles that are arriving soon are Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Stunt Race FX. All will be available for Nintendo Switch Online members on starting on September 5th.

20 classic #SNES games, including Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Stunt Race FX, will be available for #NintendoSwitchOnline members on 9/5! Enjoy a growing catalog of Super NES games with even more titles releasing in the future.https://t.co/BR33g7bJpM pic.twitter.com/RflieF4guc

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 4, 2019

These are just the latest retro games Nintendo has added to the ever-growing catalog of Super NES games. Nintendo Switch Online members currently can play a curated library of more than 60 NES and Super NES classic games. Some of the beloved games included for members are Super Mario Kart, Super Metroid, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Kirby’s Dream Course, Star Fox, Pilotwings, and tons more. And these are sure to not be the last, as many more classic games are expected to join the lineup in the future. 

Recapture the original feel of these #SNES games with a wireless Super Nintendo Entertainment System Controller! Coming soon to purchase as a special offer exclusively for paid #NintendoSwitchOnline members. pic.twitter.com/uIZ71whb5s

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 4, 2019

And to complete the whole retro vibe of this particular gaming experience, Nintendo of America has also just announced something that will give everyone all the nostalgic feels. Coming soon will be a wireless old school style Super Nintendo Entertainment System Controller. This will be a special offer exclusively for paid Nintendo Switch Online members.

Although fans are sure to jump for joy over these game announcements, there are still many classic Nintendo games still unaccounted for on the Switch. One of the most popular requests is for Earthbound. But Nintendo are adding more and more games all the time. We think it’ll only be a matter of time before they do.

Images: Nintendo

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Nintendo dropped lots of juicy news stories at E3 this week, but what whipped fans into a frenzy was the announcement of a direct sequel to 2017’s Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild! What secrets does its cryptic debut trailer hold? Amy opens up a treasure chest of possibilities in today’s Nerdist News!

What are your theories about Breath of the Wild 2? Let us know in the comments!

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Long before The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild commanded every waking second of our spare time by way of a healthy amalgam of mesmerizing visuals, engaging gameplay, and one of the most enchanting narratives to grace the gaming medium, its forebear The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening did pretty much the very same. And now, we get to appreciate the bounties of both games once more. At E3 2019, Nintendo announced both a sequel to 2017’s Zelda: Breath of the Wild and an update of 1993’s Link’s Awakening for the Switch!

The Breath of the Wild sequel news hit the web on the heels of the Nintendo Direct video stream; said revelation was scant on the details, taking form solely as the below teaser:

As far as Breath of the Wild goes, that’s all it really takes to get us pumped.

Now, no one’s going to compare the far simpler aesthetic design of the 1993 Gameboy game to that of its successor on the Nintendo Switch, nor is Link’s Awakening quite so sprawling or complex as the aforesaid 2017 release. But don’t let yourself forget just how enthralling your adventures through the mysterious, animal-laden Koholint Island really were. Thankfully, you can relive them once more, and with updates to both the look and motivity, as Nintendo is releasing Link’s Awakening for the Switch.

The news was announced via the E3 Nintendo Direct on June 11, which treated viewers to a look at the new take on the 26-year-old classic. As you can see, the game will maintain the original’s cartoonish vibe—a stark contrast to Breath of the Wild‘s lifelike aura—but with Switch-appropriate graphics.

new link’s awakening screenshots pic.twitter.com/1D4tCoNVrY

— zelda blog (triforce-princess) (@trforceprincess) June 11, 2019

Link’s Awakening #NintendoDirect pic.twitter.com/cH0bxnzHCz

— Nibel (@Nibellion) June 11, 2019

Beyond just updates to the visuals and gameplay, the new version of Link’s Awakening will also serve as home to a Dungeon Maker mode in the vein of the Mario Maker series that’s won the (often sadistic) hearts and minds of players the world over.

new link’s awakening screenshots pic.twitter.com/1D4tCoNVrY

— zelda blog (triforce-princess) (@trforceprincess) June 11, 2019

Link’s Awakening – create dungeons pic.twitter.com/rHFSLKlJ2y

— Wario64 (@Wario64) June 11, 2019

Link’s Awakening will hit the Nintendo Switch on September 20. And while there’s plenty to be excited about, personally, I can’t wait to reunite with my old pal, the flying chicken.

Images: Nintendo

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After you spend hours on end in some of your most beloved video games, it’s no wonder that many of them begin to feel like home. You know that grassy meadow in Breath of the Wild or your favorite map in Call of Duty like the back of your hand. These video game travel posters illustrated by Marta Colmenero will make you feel like you’re there again, or make you wish you were there, exploring someplace new and exciting.

“The kingdom of Hyrule is nature at its finest,” said Colmenero. “I illustrated this by making a feature of the wild horses galloping across the vast grassland, below onlooking hikers.”

Currys PC World teamed up with the talented illustrator for a colorful series of travel posters of some of gaming’s most famous locales. Hyrule (The Legend of Zelda), Columbia (BioShock Infinite), Paradise Palms (Fortnite), Installation 04 (Halo), Lagras (Red Dead Redemption 2), Land of the Dead (Grim Fandango), and Nuketown (Call of Duty) are all front and center in the striking series.

Along with the posters, Currys offers an expert travel guide to each destination that reads like something out of dog-eared book in your backpack. For each locale you’ll find things to see, like the dinosaurs in Fortnite’s Paradise Palms or the town of Saint Denis in Red Dead Redemption 2.

And we can’t help but be intrigued by the Day of the Dead festivals in Grim Fandango‘s Land of the Dead. (Did you know the classic game was recently remastered and released on the Nintendo Switch?) “Jam-packed with all things Mexican, including music, dancing and piñatas, it’s the perfect destination for party animals. It’s so much fun, you won’t even mind that all the locals are dead!” Colmenero said. “I included the iconic towers in the background, to capture the location in a way that players will resonate with.”

The Land of the Dead sounds like a destination to avoid but instead, thanks to Colmenero, it’s strangely tempting. Ah, well. We’ll go there someday.

Visit Currys for a closer look at more of the video game travel posters and let us know where you’d love to go on your next vacation.

All Images: Currys PC World /Marta Colmenero

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Even if you’re one of the most dedicated The Legend of Zelda players, chances are you’ve been missing out on a game or two in the legendary franchise. If so, Nintendo is coming to your rescue like a Hero of Time!  The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening came out for Game Boy in 1993 and was the first Zelda released on a portable game system. Now, over 25 years later, a remastered version of the unique game is coming to the Nintendo Switch, the most popular and well-crafted Nintendo portable system to date.

Link’s Awakening is notable for other reasons as well. Princess Zelda and Ganon are missing from this installment, which takes place on the island of Koholint rather than the kingdom of Hyrule. This mysterious island is populated with some familiar faces from Super Mario, believe it or not, like the Chain Chomp and other surprising cameos.

Link washes ashore on the island after a storm interrupts his journey to Hyrule. As much as he wants to leave the island and return to the princess, he can’t do so until he completes certain tasks. (Because Zelda.) Helping him on his journey is an enigmatic owl who guides him in his quest.

Originally black and white, and later colorized for the Game Boy Color, Link’s Awakening for the Nintendo Switch has been beautifully remastered in an adorable style that will set the game apart even more from the rest. Link has never looked so cute–sorry, Wind Waker–and the colors and island itself are simply stunning.

IGN shared a comparative look at the game’s announcement from yesterday’s Nintendo Direct with the original opening of Link’s Awakening DX, and the result is jaw-dropping!

1998 vs. 2019 pic.twitter.com/0BkHKILFBL

— IGN (@IGN) February 14, 2019

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is planned for a 2019 release on the Nintendo Switch.

MORE GAMING GOODNESS!

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All Images: Nintendo

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It’s been almost two years since The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild hit shelves. If you’ve played it at all, you’ve probably played it to death, unlocking every shrine, saving every divine beast, and giving up halfway through finding every Korok. It’s time for a radical proposal: delete your save file.

I know, but hear me out. The idea of starting any massive sandbox game from scratch sounds like a nightmare. Imagine starting Skyrim over and throwing out all your money, gear, and homes that you’ve built. It’s hard to go from one-shotting dragons in your meticulously upgraded armor to getting killed by the first wild bear you encounter. After a certain point, you’re just asking for a long grind just to get back to where you were.

Breath of the Wild, I would like to argue, is different. This is the story of the time I deleted my save file, and why I don’t regret it.

Most sandbox games have some kind of reward for the dozens of hours you invest in the game. In Skyrim, you can build an entire house (or three) from scratch and start a family. Spider-Man for the PS4 hands out tokens for most side activities that you use to unlock new powers and upgrades. Resetting these games means giving up everything you’ve worked on and starting over with nothing. Which is why games like Spider-Man come with New Game+ modes that let you start over while keeping all your power-ups and gear.

Breath of the Wild—which, unfortunately, does not have a New Game+ mode—has comparatively little in the way of accumulated resources. Most of your core abilities are unlocked before you even leave Tutorial Plateau. There are a couple of minor upgrades for them, but it’s easy to get them again. You can buy a house for a bunch of rupees, but there’s little else that having a lot of money gives you. At worst, you might need to replace some armor, but the quests to get them are part of the adventure you’re trying to re-experience, rather than a grind.

In fact, the only resources that are difficult re-acquire are Spirit Orbs. If you completed every shrine the first time around, it can be unsatisfying to go back to three hearts and a single stamina wheel. However, this is where Breath of the Wild‘s approach to its open world pays off. Every shrine’s puzzle uses the same visual design, and there are a lot of them. Replaying games like Portal are tough, because you can’t solve a puzzle for the first time again. However, it’s hard to remember the solution to every single shrine. Some will probably come back to you, but you’ll probably struggle with some.

More importantly, there’s a benefit to losing all your hearts and stamina. While most sandboxes encourage exploring to a degree, Breath of the Wild makes wandering across the world a core element of how you progress through the game. You can stand on the highest tower and spot shrines from across the map, mark them, then discover more shrines, quests, and NPCs as you spend your time trekking to those markers.

This approach makes it hard to follow the same path twice. Even though I did all 120 of the shrines in my initial playthrough, the second time around I discovered new side quests, new Koroks, and new parts of the map I hadn’t found the first time. Moreover, I found new paths to get from one place to another. Traversing the terrain is a unique puzzle all on its own, and it’s hard to solve it the same way twice. Take a left instead of a right the second time around and you could have a totally different experience.

You also get a second chance to use a different play style. I didn’t discover Revali’s Gale—an ability that launches you into the air from wherever you’re standing—until I was nearly finished with the game the first time. You can complete the dungeons in any order and most of the powers you get for finishing them are just nice-to-haves, but in a game that centers so heavily on traversing uneven terrain, Revali’s Gale is incredibly useful. On my second playthrough, I went straight for the Rito dungeon so I could get this power, and it changed how I explored immensely.

If you’re not sure the benefits of experiencing the game a second time around are worth giving up everything you worked for the first time, there’s a workaround. You can create a second profile on your Switch under a different name and use that to create a new game save. While the game itself doesn’t support multiple save files, the Switch supports up to eight different profiles, which is more than enough to start the game a few different ways.

However, in my own experience, cutting the cord is the way to go. You first embarked on Link’s journey in Breath of the Wild with naught but the shirt on your back—err, well not even that—and most of your adventure was spent clawing a living out of the harsh and unforgiving wilderness in Hyrule. Now that all the DLC has been released and the memories have faded just a bit, give up Link’s house, throw your weapons off a cliff, and give the game a second go the way it was meant to be played.

Article originally appeared on Geek & Sundry.

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There’s money these days in vintage tech, and Heritage Auctions recently had its first auction of graded and certified vintage video games. The top lot was a sealed copy of the 1992 Classic Series release of Legend of Zelda for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, which fetched a whopping $3,360. (In case you were wondering, MSRP of the original game when it first released in 1986 was $49.99.)

Other NES games that captured top dollar include a sealed copy of 1985’s Excitebike ($1,140) and a sealed copy of 1989’s Dragon Warrior ($660). Don’t go thinking that you can hit up your old collection or flea markets and find yourself a cartridge worth a few hundred dollars. The real value, as it turns out with many collectibles, is in the packaging.

In the era of NES, most games were bought not for collecting purposes, but to be played, making a sealed copy of beloved and iconic games extremely rare. High-quality grades on NES games are additionally rare – NES cartridges were packaged in cardboard boxes when sold, meaning maintaining pristine packaging is all the harder, and even complete games are rare because those cardboard boxes were thrown away, often with the game manual. (In contrast, Sega Genesis games were sold in plastic cases, and much like today those cases were kept with the manual contained.)

So while the downside might be that your collection of old games isn’t worth hundreds of dollars, the upside is you got to play them and love them growing up. And doesn’t that make your collection priceless?

What is the most prized game in your collection? Tell us in the comments!

More Gaming Goodness!

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• Our 5 Most Anticipated Video Games for 2019

Image Credits: Heritage Auctions (Screencap by Teri Litorco)

Teri Litorco is a gamer and geek who still owns a copy of “Bart’s Nightmare” for her SNES. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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It’s been a few years since word of a Legend of Zelda Netflix series first flitted across the internet like Navi, but we’re still waiting to see the game franchise come to life. Brilliant artists Youyang Kong and Qianya Yin took matters into their own hands and poured two months of work into a fan animation of Link bravely taking on two Guardians with the help of a dear friend. Via Nintendo Life, this all-too-short Zelda fan animation film gives us a hint of what a Breath of the Wild animated series might look like, and we want one now.

Link doesn’t speak in the animation, just like in the games, which is just one of the many reasons this short film feels so much like Zelda. The stunning backgrounds showcasing the sunny fields of Hyrule take us right back to the hours we spent there when Breath of the Wild released in 2017.While there was, of course, the infamous cartoon from the 1980s (Excuuuuse me, princess!), a new animated series could elevate Link, Zelda, and Ganon among the ranks of Netflix’s Castlevania or Voltron. The original rumors pitched a darker (yet family-friendly) Legend of Zelda Netflix series similar to Game of Thrones, but if this animation is any indication, there’s room for Zelda to be a brightly lit, action-packed adventure with heart. And Korok hugs. There’s always room for Korok hugs.

[mpx_video type=”alpha” guid=”ZIbWzyx9n6ip7__TKclSm6WeflQMdf6N”]

Would you prefer a live-action or animated Legend of Zelda series? Tell us which and why in the comments.

Featured Image: Nintendo

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Now that the holiday season is in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about what to get our loved ones. If one of those people just so happens to love video games, this list we compiled will help you find just the right gift for ’em! From collectibles to apparel to gadgets, we’ve got it all covered.

Pip-Boy Construction Kit

Jump even further into the world of Fallout 76 this winter with this Pip-Boy 2000 Construction Kit. Complete with a collectible vegan leather case and over 150 parts you put together yourself, the wearable Pip-Boy is the perfect combination project and prop. You can catch it on ThinkGeek for $149.99.

Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia

If your loved one is looking to further their knowledge of the expansive Legend of Zelda universe, this encyclopedia could make for the perfect gift! It has 320 pages of content, including historical information about the franchise, concept art, and extensive information about the games’ items and enemies. If you’re willing to spring for the deluxe edition, it’s designed to look like the golden cartridge of the original Zelda game! The original retails for $19.99, or you can get the deluxe edition for $43.51.

Super Mario Bros. Pajama Pants

Cozy up in the cold weather with some pajama pants featuring everyone’s favorite plumbers! Not only will they be comfy (they’re 100% cotton), but they also feature some iconic characters and items from the games that we all know and love, like the Goombas, Lakitu, coins, mushrooms, and more. They’re a BoxLunch exclusive running for $24.90.

Venom Snake Hoodie

A great gift for any Metal Gear fan, this unisex hoodie from Insert Coin Clothing is a fun homage to Phantom Pain‘s protagonist. Complete with a red sleeve and a Diamond Dogs patch, it represents one of our favorite Snakes in style. The hoodie runs for $56.25 on the Insert Coin website.

Fortnite Monopoly

Add a twist to game night with this special Fortnite version of Monopoly. Not only is the game themed with Fortnite locations, character skins in place of game pieces, and health instead of money, but this edition revamps the beloved classic with PvP battles and the storm. Last one standing wins—Battle Royale style. Grab it on Walmart’s website for $15.88.

Overwatch LEGO Sets

Looking to combine some favorite hobbies from the past and present? Now you can with the new Overwatch LEGO sets! The current sets include characters, such as D.va and Reinhardt, Hanzo and Genji, and Widowmaker and Tracer, and locations from the game, like Dorado and Watchpoint: Gibraltar. These sets are perfect for any age, and range in price from $14.99 to $89.99.

Big Daddy Plush

I’m sure the last thing we all thought when we saw the Big Daddies in Bioshock was, “Man, those are cute!” However, Irrational has proved us wrong with this adorable plush of the game’s most iconic antagonists. The plush even stands at 17″ tall, so he’s about as sturdy as his in-game counterpart. Catch him on Irrational Games’ website for $29.99.

PlayStation Backpack

With the PlayStation Classic out now, the console’s nostalgia is in full swing. What better way to help a loved one show off their love for it than with this awesome backpack, which is designed to look like the original PlayStation console. The bag is durable, made of faux-leather, and full of details that recreate the PS1 perfectly. It’s on sale on the PlayStation Gear Store now for $30.73 (£23.99 on the website).

Poké Ball Waffle Maker

Let’s be real, we all want to be the very best, so why not be the very best at making waffles, too? This Poké Ball waffle maker is a fun gift for the Pokémon master in your life who loves breakfast too. Grab it on ThinkGeek for $34.99.

Skyrim Mousepad

What’s perfect for a gamer who loves Skyrim? A mousepad that’s as big as their favorite in-game world. This oversize mousepad measures 80 x 35 cm, and depicts one of the game’s many gorgeous mountain ranges. It’s on sale at Merchandise Monkey for $38.42 (£29.99 on the website).

Image Source: ThinkGeek, BoxLunch, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Insert Coin Clothing, PlayStation Gear Store, Irrational Games, Merchandise Monkey

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Video games can make us really, really hungry. From the rustic stews cooked up in the wilds of Hyrule to the drool-worthy dishes served up at Galdin Quay, food is an important staple in video games and is often the subject of side quests and mini-games.  If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to make some of those amazing looking dishes from games, there are plenty of adventurous chefs looking to give the megabite-sized recipes a go. Check out these five video game gastronomes and learn how to make some of their favorite dishes!

Improv Chef Link – Legend of Zelda

Link will throw just about anything into a cook pot to see if it is edible and, more often than not, his concoctions come out as dubiously edible plates of mush, but when he gets things right, his open fire and wok cooking can produce some delicious-looking food. Link can whip up everything from entrées like Veggie Rice Balls and Prime Meat Curry to Breakfast Omelettes and he can even bake amazing looking desserts. How he does this in a wok is beyond me (it must be Hylian magic at work), but if you want to try out a few of these recipes, Andrew Rea, of the YouTube channel Binging with Babish, has a fantastic video that includes Link’s Mushroom Risotto, baked apples, and extremely-fragrant monster cake.

Master Baker Toriel – Undertale

Undertale tells the story of a young child who falls into the underground world of monsters and must find a way home. One of the first monsters you meet is a  kindly, mother-figure named Toriel who does her best to encourage you to stay forever and to make you feel more at home, Toriel bakes you a Butterscotch-Cinnamon Pie that sounds absolutely heavenly. Sugary-sweet Rosanna Pansino, of Nerdy Nummies, is well known for her interpretations of geek culture foods and in the video below, she describes how you can make the delightful pudding pie at home.

Chauffeur/Chef Ignis – Final Fantasy XV

When Ignis Scientia isn’t driving around Eos or defending his future king from rampaging behemoths and mechanics in booty shorts, he is an accomplished chef who can recreate and improve on any dish he tastes. His menu trends towards Japanese comfort food and diner-style fare, but you can catch him making some strange delights like Moist Tomato Cake and Moogle Mousse with Kupoberry Sauce. RPG Cooking’s video not only provides a detailed recipe on how to recreate Ignis’s Fried Rookie on Rice, but also gives you a little background on Ignis’s friendship with Prince Noctis over the years.

Chef [Insert name Here] – Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley offers you a million different things to do from making friends to farming to mining to (of course) cooking.  Many of the recipes you can learn will come from the friends you make in town, so every time you cook a dish you can be reminded of the person who taught it to you. The Maple Bars featured on Chiodini’s Kitchen come from The Queen of Sauce television show that airs on Sundays in-game. These bars give you a big boost to health and energy and can sell for 300 gold (an exorbitant amount of money for such a simple dish, but who am I to judge the fine folks of Stardew Valley for their addiction to the nutrition bars). Follow along with  Chiodini’s video to whip up some delicious and lucrative treats!

Chef Mama – Cooking Mama

Ok, we can’t make a list of fun video game chefs without mentioning one of the mother of all cooking games: Cooking Mama! This adorable game was first released in 2006 and has since seen several more titles added to the series. Each challenge in the game was a different recipe and would take you through the steps of preparing a dish. Curious to see how accurate Mama’s instructions were, GameTim decided to try making her Omurice (Omelette with Rice) dish. This is basically an omelette filled with rice and topped with ketchup (which sound like the perfect breakfast after a long night out). You can learn how the to make Omurice by watching GameTim ‘s video below!

What are some of your favorite in-game snacks? Which would you love to know how to make? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to tune into Game Engine on Twitch and Alpha for more video game goodness every Tuesday starting at 4PM PT.

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Hailing from New York, Jessica Fisher is a writer, artist, and all around geek. In addition to Geek & Sundry, she writes for Gameosity.com and produces the Gameosity Reviews Youtube Channel. Find her talking about all things geeky on Twitter as @miniktty.

Image Credits: Nintendo, Toby Fox, SQUARE ENIX, Chucklefish

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Late last year, Dark Horse Comics, makers of many fine books and other products that are basically a fan’s dream, unveiled their The Legend Of Zelda Encyclopedia. It comes in a couple of sweet editions, one of which matches the covers of their comprehensive Hyrule Historia and their The Legend Of Zelda: Arts And Artifacts book. The other is more of a direct homage to the series’ physical origins, since it’s a replica of the original The Legend Of Zelda NES cartridge. This is a rare scenario where it makes sense to judge a book by its cover: The outside looks great, and based on the new pages that are being previewed today exclusively on Nerdist, the inside is equally excellent.

The book is set to be published on June 19, and the preview pages… well, preview… what we can expect from it. There’s concept art, lore about the series, maps, character drawings, and other details about the games. It’s literally encyclopedic (it is an encyclopedia, after all), so if you want information about the Zelda series, it’s probably in this book. Both editions are 328 pages, and include, among other things, “an expansion of information from The Legend Of Zelda timeline,” “rare development sketches of your favorite characters,” and “an extensive database of items and enemies.” The standard edition is available for pre-order here, while the pre-order for the deluxe edition can be found here.

Check out the pages above and let us know in the comments which edition of the book you have your eye on!

Images: Dark Horse Comics

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As somebody who has a Nintendo Switch and enthusiastically explores the accessories market, I’ve learned a couple things: There are a ton of third-party options out there for things that can enhance your Switch-owning experience, and a lot of them aren’t the best thing for all folks. For instance, I haven’t been able to find my ideal game card case that will look natural on the shelf next to my official game cases, so a few months ago, I went ahead and designed my own, based on an official Nintendo game card case and a third-party plastic insert.

I’m very satisfied with the results, which were made to blend in. That aesthetic choice isn’t for everybody, though, so if you’re looking for an option that’s more meant to stand out, here’s something: a game card case that looks like the Master Sword from The Legend Of Zelda series (via Reddit).

While in its sheath, the 3D-printed sword looks like a standard collectible prop, but take it out, and the “blade” has slots for six games. The video uploader is quick to point out that while they did print this sword themselves, it’s not actually their design. That comes courtesy of kDaesign on Etsy, who sells the sword (or gives away the design files for free) for $30. It’s sold out at the moment, so keep an eye on the Etsy store page in hopes that more will be available soon (here’s a cached version of the product page if you want to check it out).

What’s your current solution for storing your Switch games? Would you consider something like this? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Featured image: Kickass 3D Prints/YouTube

More video game stories:

• • • How to make your own God of War leviathan axe.
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    • Telltale’s The Walking Dead is getting its final season.

[brightcove video_id=”5794448371001″ brightcove_account_id=”3653334524001″ brightcove_player_id=”rJs2ZD8x”]

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most expansive and immersive video game experiences of all time, but that’s only true for one person at a time. Aside from The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords, the Zelda series has been pretty much exclusively a single-player experience, but that’s (unofficially) about to change thanks to a fan mod (via Gamnesia).

A modder who goes by the name Fooni is working on a mod that would bring local multiplayer to the Wii U version of the game (since games on older consoles are typically easier to mod). The way this works is that a second player is given control of one of the game’s NPC’s, which would have modified skins and items so it would look like a second Link. Fooni says this mod won’t actually be finished for another year or so, though, because this stuff is pretty complicated.Still, Fooni posted some screenshots that seem to show a functional early version of the mod in action, with two Links on screen and even a “You cannot ride Player 1’s horse…” message when Player 2 presumably tried to mount the occupied steed.

This early on, there are still a ton of questions to be answered. For instance, how will the camera work? How about item inventories? What other concerns do you have about this in-progress mod? How excited are you to see it in action? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Featured image: Nintendo

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If you’re in the market for a geeky tattoo, take your time and get to know the artist you want to apply your ink—this isn’t something you want to rush. Get recommendations, look up portfolios online, or visit the tattooist’s shop and browse through binders. By doing your homework, you can see if the artist has the talents you’re looking for. Seeing variety in a tattoo artist’s history is a positive sign: Matt Henegar’s creations include everything from comic book characters, to wildlife, to portraits. He has skills in bringing all of it to life. Look at this fur on Rocket:

I can’t get enough of Rocket Raccoon and Groot. The little heart above Groot’s head kills me.

And now for some Batman! I’d like to point out the excellency of the beard stubble and the texture on the bat symbols–they look like skin.

Please go to the gallery below to see additional geeky tattoos. You’ll find Disney’s Robin Hood, Judge Dredd, some Legend of Zelda inspired ink, and more. If you’re in the neighborhood of Jonesboro, Arkansas, you can score an appointment with Matt at Black Arrow Tattoo. Scope his complete portfolio at Instagram and see the wide variety of art he’s tackled.

If you have nerdy ink on your skin or you’re a tattoo artist that applies pop culture, STEM, music, or other nerd-inspired ink (tl;dr: I want to see practically all the tattoos) on a regular basis, then please hit me up because I’d like to highlight you in a future Inked Wednesday gallery. You can get in touch with me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com. Send me photos of the tattoos you’d like me to feature (the higher resolution, the better) and don’t forget to let me know the name of your tattoo artist if you have it, as well the name of the shop he or she works out of. If you are the tattoo artist, give me links to your portfolios and/or Instagram accounts so I can share them with our readers.

Images: Matt Henegar

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I can’t resist a theme. I feature all kinds of work in Fan Art Friday, but I like when an artist takes an idea and creates several images around it. For example, Jess Craig found inspiration in Balinese masks. The traditional carved masks are elegant and insanely detailed. She took the concept of the masks and applied it to characters in pop culture, reimagining individuals and beings as the masks.

Jess has tackled a number of franchises in this series but completed a whole line of Legend of Zelda themed masks I want to share. Let’s start with Link:

And this is how Zelda looks with the mask treatment:

Make a hop to the gallery below to see Ganon, Majora, and a couple other characters as masks. Then, to go outside the world of Legend of Zelda and see more masks designed by Jess, check out her Instagram feed—there’s a Titan from Attack on Titan that gives me all kinds of creeps. You can also keep up with her non-mask art on Instagram.

Do you create any sort of fan art? If so, I want to see it. Whether you focus on a specific fandom or pull inspiration from multiple stories and mediums, I’d like to highlight what you do. If you’re interested in being featured in a future edition of Fan Art Friday, get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with examples of your work. If you’re not an artist, feel free to email me with recommendations for Fan Art Friday!

Images: Jess Craig

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To cook a meal fit for a hero, all you need is a cooking pot with a lit fire. Select “Hold” on the ingredients in your inventory, and if you’re standing close enough to the pot, close the inventory and press the “Cook” button when you’re ready.

While there are many practical and simple recipes for the legendary hero to eat to restore his hearts, like mushrooms and steak on a skewer, Nintendo also included a number of treats for Link’s sweet tooth. Here’s a cheat sheet with just a few recipes to help you make your journey across the wilds of Hyrule even sweeter.

• Mighty Milk: 4 Mighty Bananas, Fresh Milk
• Chilly Fruit Pie: 2 Hydromelons, Tabantha Wheat, Cane Sugar, Goat Butter
• Hasty Apple Pie: Apple, Fleet-Lotus Seeds, Tabantha Wheat, Cane Sugar, Goat Butter
• Nutcake: Tabantha Wheat, Goat Butter, Cane Sugar, Acorn
• Energizing Honey Crepe: Bird Egg, Fresh Milk, Tabantha Wheat, Cane Sugar, Courser Bee Honey

Tip: You can find most of these ingredients in the towns and villages of Hyrule.

Want to make a Breath of the Wild treat in real life? Of course you do! Cucco’s Kitchen has you covered with a simple how-to for mouth-watering baked apples.

While Cucco’s Kitchen’s chef Peter calls the recipe “Baked Apples” after the dish discovered early in Link’s adventure, it’s very close to another recipe in Breath of the Wild: Hot Buttered Apples. Either way, the sweet apples slathered in butter and cinnamon will give anyone a warm feeling in their heart container.

Check out Peter’s other Breath of the Wild recipes brought into real life, like the Meat and Mushroom Skewers and even Dubious Food.

What’s your favorite dish to make in Breath of the Wild? Share the recipe in the comments.

Featured Image: Nintendo

Other Image: Pwnapplez

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As we decided in our review a few days ago, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is pretty much a perfect game. It’s one of the best-reviewed games of all time, so great that we really want to see how the sausage was made. Thankfully, Nintendo is giving us that chance tomorrow morning, since the company announced on Twitter that it will post the first video of a three-part series that takes us behind the scenes of how the game was made (via Polygon).

The tweet (below) also included a 30-second trailer for the documentary, which shows game footage interspersed with clips of Nintendo employees discussing concept art, musicians working on the game’s music, and people involved with the game talking about how it came to be.

Tomorrow at 6 AM PT, we’ll be debuting a three-part series called The Making of The Legend of #Zelda: Breath of the Wild! pic.twitter.com/bTDROEZ8i0

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 13, 2017

Leading up to and also after Breath of the Wild‘s release, Nintendo has been supremely forthcoming about how the game was made, having shown off the NES-like prototype, speaking about how the passing of former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata influenced the game’s direction, and giving a 90-minute presentation about the title at the Game Developers Conference.

We’re not really sure how long this series will be or how it’s going to be presented, but we’ll keep you in the loop about it. In the meantime, let us know what questions you have that you want this documentary series to answer.

Should you buy a Switch, though?

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Featured image: Nintendo

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To call The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild a “hotly anticipated” game is putting it lightly. You know that burrito that Jesus microwaves that is so hot that he himself could not eat it? That’s how hotly Breath of the Wild is anticipated. At long last, I managed to get my grubby little mitts on Nintendo’s long-awaited return to Hyrule, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun. While our full review of the Nintendo Switch launch title is embargoed until late next week, here are my first impressions of the game, along with some tips and tricks that will come in handy when you get to play it next week.

The controls take some getting used to

Maybe it’s because I’m not entirely used to the Switch and its myriad ways with which to use the Joy-Con controllers, or maybe it’s because you need to have them lined up properly with the console or else you run the risk of de-syncing, but Breath of the Wild has a bit of a learning curve with its control scheme. The inventory management system in particular can be a bit clunky until you get the hang of things. And you’ll be using it a lot because you have a limited number of slots for swords, melee weapons, and ranged weapons, all of which have finite durability that will need to be monitored.

Don’t loot everything you see

I know it’s difficult to resist the siren call of picking up every glittering, glinting, gleaming item you come across. After all, we’ve been programmed by years of video games to essentially be virtual hoarders. (Honestly, no one needs this much cabbage). But in Breath of the Wild, you don’t need to give into your baser, magpie-like instincts because you are never that far away from getting a bigger, better, shinier item. You need to be judicious because you have limited inventory space, which will fill up quickly unless you upgrade it. That isn’t to say you should ignore treasure completely, but don’t let it slow your gameplay to a grinding halt.

You’re basically Spider-Man

Spider-Link, Spider-Link, does whatever a Spider-Link does!

Link has always been an agile hero, jumping, rolling, and clambering his way through all manner of dungeons and temples. However, in Breath of the Wild, he can climb practically any surface, which means that you can truly explore this open world in three dimensions. Climbing to new heights becomes even more important and gratifying once you acquire the paraglider, allowing you to travel to otherwise inaccessible locations. Plus, climbing towers like the one depicted above, will reveal new areas on the map to you and provide a beautiful vantage point to take in the heights of Hyrule.

Discretion is the better part of valor

As 1986’s The Legend of Zelda taught us, it’s dangerous to go alone. While you’ll be taking a slew of weapons and protective gear with you on your quest, you will also find that sometimes it’s better to simply avoid a fight. Hyrule is full of all manner of murderous monsters that can quickly overwhelm you or possess dangerous abilities. In fact, you won’t necessarily have the tools to defeat every monster you come across right away. Often times, it’s more advantageous to run away and live to fight another day. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold, so your patience will be rewarded with blood.

Make ample use of shield surfing

Just in case extreme climbing and paragliding weren’t enough to convince you that Link should have starred in Point Break, Breath of the Wild also lets you ride Link’s shield like a surfboard. In order to do it, equip your shield by holding ZL, then press X to jump and hit A while in midair. The move allows you to gain quite a bit of speed and can help you outmaneuver opponents, but it has the side effect of rapidly damaging your shield in the process. Just make sure to keep an eye on the item’s durability or you may find yourself suddenly tumbling down a mountainside, taking massive amounts of damage before ultimately falling over a cliff onto the rocky shoals below. Not saying that’s what exactly what will happen to you, but I’m speaking from a place of experience.

Don’t forget to use your amiibos

In addition to feeding an unhealthy addiction to collecting things in real life, amiibo will confer a number of in-game bonuses to you if you use them with Breath of the Wild. It has previously been announced that using the Wolf Link amiibo will allow you to summon Wolf Link in-game, and each of the The Legend of Zelda 30th Anniversary amiibo will grant you airdrops of meat, fish, and other goodies.

Become an Iron Chef

While some people prefer the alchemical pleasures of brewing potions or the joy of smithing their own armor, my favorite crafting system is cooking, and Breath of the Wild is perfect for that. Throughout the game, you’ll gather a number of ingredients that you can combine to create curative items that can both restore your health and confer resistance bonuses to you too. For example, if you find yourself freezing to death after scaling a mountain, then roasting a spicy pepper or two might be in your best interest.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is available on Nintendo Switch and Wii U on March 3, 2017.

Will you be picking up Breath of the Wild? What are you hoping for from the new Zelda? Let us know in the comments below.

Images: Nintendo

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).

Watch below to see the internet’s funniest reactions to the Nintendo Switch

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A few years back I was taking a leisurely stroll through the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens during Sakura Matsuri (the Japanese cherry blossom festival). I happened across a table selling wood-block prints and when I saw the art my jaw hit the floor; Katamari Damacy, Dragon Ball Z, Metroid, Final Fantasy, Princess Monoke! Some of my favorite video game and anime characters were rendered into stunning works of art from a truly unique stylistic perspective! I immediately had to own some of those prints, and that was how I met Jed Henry.

Like many of us, Jed grew up on a diet of video games. Using his favorites as inspiration, he developed an interest in drawing and eventually went to college for animation. He was very impressed by the work of Dave Bull, a traditional wood block printer (who lives in Japan), and so he reached out to his hero to see about collaborating. Two years later, they started working on a project called Ukiyo-e Heroes. With Jed’s illustration and animation background and Dave’s block printing skills, they have created an impressively unique collection of art.

Every piece takes many steps.  To create a print, Jed first designs the illustration and inks it onto lithography paper with traditional Japanese calligraphy brushes. Once the image is complete, he scans the image, colors it, and sends it around the world to Dave’s studio in Tokyo. Dave uses traditional techniques to carve the woodblocks that will make the prints, based on Jed’s design.

In videos which inevitably evoke the lovely nostalgia of watching Bob Ross (for those of us who did so), Dave shows how he separates the lines and colors of the image and prints them out onto a special paper called Gampi. This paper is then pasted down onto a wood block, which Dave carves directly through.  By using the Gampi as the outline, Dave transfers the image into the wood.

The line and color blocks are carved separately, as each colored ink is added to the paper one at a time. First, Dave presses the paper onto the dark black outline block and then to each color to form the complete image. It is a painstaking process that takes a masterful hand to produce at such a high level of quality. The slightest mistake can ruin a print and cause Dave to have to start all over again. The whole process takes the Ukiyo-e Heroes project from Jed’s amazing concept art to breathtaking, gallery-worthy pieces.

While Jed may love making tradition art out of video games, he’s also now featured in one! Unsurprisingly for someone so inspired by video games, Jed recently brought together a group of game designers to build Edo Superstar, a mobile fighting game. In Edo Superstar, you play Masaru, a monkey with dreams of becoming Japan’s most famed fighter (you know, typical monkey dreams).  To earn his star status, Masaru needs to best fighters from every corner of Japan and beyond in the annual Zodiac tournament.  For fans of Jed’s work, it’s exciting to see him going beyond just his excellent prints.

Jed’s art is really awesome and he is constantly coming up with new pieces. In fact, he even has a subscription service, where his fans can get a new handmade print every month. The prints are shipped directly from Tokyo and go to supporting the education of Dave’s apprentices, which ensures the continuation of this traditional art style. You can check out more of Jed’s amazing artwork in the gallery below or visit his site, Ukiyo-e Heroes, and if you are interested in checking out Edo Superstar, here’s a link to it on iTunes.

What fandoms would you want to see Jed draw next? Let us know in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Jed Henry/Ukiyo-e Heroes

Blog Image Credits: Dave Bull/Youtube, Edo Superstar, Jed Henry/Ukiyo-e Heroes

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It’s been 17 years since The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask hit the Nintendo 64, and it still holds up as not only one of the best Zelda games, but also one of the best games, period. The title object itself caused quite a few problems within the game, but Majora’s Mask is a gaming icon, and now a life-sized recreation of it can be yours!

First 4 Figures is taking preorders for its he Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask Life Size Replica, which is 25 inches high and 23 inches wide, with a depth of 13 inches. Make no mistake, this is not a toy and we can’t promise that it will bestow dark and evil powers upon its new owners. That said, it does come with LED lights in the eyes that create a very haunting effect that remains true to the game’s visuals.

Within the game, Majora’s Mask was stolen and worn by the Skull Kid, who unwittingly became a slave of the mask itself. After that, he nearly destroyed the land of Termina by bringing that freaky looking moon crashing down to the surface. Not cool, Skull Kid! We expect everyone who buys one of these masks to cause only minor mischief on the off chance that they also become possessed. You can see additional photos of the mask replica in our gallery below.

If there’s a downside to this collectible, it’s the price. At $384.99, it’s not exactly cheap. But First 4 Figures is offering some payment plans to spread out the pain over a few months. If you’re a dedicated Zelda fan with money to spare, then you can welcome Majora’s Mask into your home. Apparently, this is only the first item in First 4 Figures’ new life-sized Legend of Zelda line. Now, we can’t wait to see what they come out with next!

What do you think about this life-sized recreation of Majora’s Mask? Use the Triforce and leave a comment below!

Image Credits: First 4 Figures

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Thirty years ago, Nintendo unleashed the original Legend of Zelda on the NES and started one of the greatest franchises in gaming history. The Legend of Zelda still endures after all of these years, and it’s even one of the featured titles of the NES Classic Edition. As classic gamers and a new generation of players explore the game, there’s at least one fan who has the ultimate Zelda map to guide his way!

Via Kotaku, Willard McFarland recently purchased a fan-created 3D printed replica of The Legend of Zelda’s overworld. And as you can see from the photos by McFarland that were posted by writer Mike Matei, it’s a thing of beauty.

Hyrule Overworld, here you can see level 2 and where you find the extra rupee’s in top right. (Photos by @dubbya1986) pic.twitter.com/p2mzXx2edF

— Mike Matei (@Mike_Matei) December 17, 2016

Zelda 3D Printed Map Close Up photo. Here you can see levels 1 and 4! (Photos by @dubbya1986) pic.twitter.com/ZAZrA9kxKP

— Mike Matei (@Mike_Matei) December 17, 2016

The original report about this creation surfaced at Retro Gaming Magazine, which added that the creator of the map spent “over six months building this world map for the first Legend of Zelda in Minecraft. The seller then apparently exported the file and 3D printed it…Then after 24 hours of 3D printing going back and forth, another six hours was spent painting it.”

Zelda 3D Printed Map.. The Lost Woods! (Photos by @dubbya1986) pic.twitter.com/3gw9hHQuun

— Mike Matei (@Mike_Matei) December 17, 2016

Whoever created this map had to be a hardcore Zelda fan, as it features an amazing level of detail throughout. But perhaps the most shocking thing is that the seller let it go for only $100. Somehow, we think that it could have gone for a much higher price.

Zelda 3D Printed Map.. The Graveyard! Find the Master Sword but watch out for Ghini’s! (Photos by @dubbya1986) pic.twitter.com/EEu3ToDHc3

— Mike Matei (@Mike_Matei) December 17, 2016

This is such an amazing piece of Zelda fandom that it’s a shame that it’s only a one-of-a-kind collectible. If Nintendo was ever interested in mass producing a similar Zelda 3D map that came close to this level of quality, we’d throw our money at it in an instant!

What did you think about the Zelda 3D map? Explore your thoughts in the comment section below!

Image Credits: Willard McFarland

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World of Warcraft costumes are grand and attention-catching by design. The many bold styles in the video game are veritable ambrosia to cosplayers. The ensembles offer armor, fabric, intricate props–they can’t resist. Sayakat Cosplay’s worked in the realm of World of Warcraft, and her take on Tyrande Whisperwind is a show-stopper:

Tyrande Whisperwind (World of Warcraft) | Photo by Rick Currier Photography

I mean, do you see those details? And look at Diablo:

Diablo | Photo by Rick Currier Photography

More photos are in the gallery below. You’ll see how Sayakat kills it over and over in another Warcraft costume (a Blood Elf), Sailor Pluto, and a couple more. You should view her entire costume portfolio though, and you can do so at Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr. If you want to watch her working on her costumes, check out her Twitch stream.

Do you cosplay or take photographs of cosplayers? Then I want to see your work so we can talk about highlighting what you do in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re interested, please go ahead and email me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with hi-res photos you’d like me to feature. Be sure to provide credits for the cosplayers or photographers for each image because giving credit is good manners–bonus points if you include links to relevant Facebook pages or websites. Though I wish I knew all the geek franchises, I don’t, so please let me know who or what is being cosplayed–I can usually figure it out, but I’ll take all the help I can get.

Images: Courtesy of Sayakat Cosplay

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Brian Cooper has been passionate about drawing since he was a kid. His creations have long been inspired by the stories he consumes in comic books, films, and video games. His style can definitely be called cute, but he also brings in other elements and emotions to make his images richer. For example, take a look at this stylized Princess Leia art—she looks sassy, which is exactly how it should be.

Princess Leia (Star Wars)

Cooper’s great at taking characters’ personality traits and showcasing them in such a way that you see the character in a different, interesting fashion. I think Rocket Raccoon looks like he’s just the right amount of crazed in this piece:

Rocket Raccoon (Guardians of the Galaxy)

You can see more of Cooper’s unique take on characters you know and love in the gallery below. You’ll find Newt Scamander, Spider-Gwen, Wolverine, and more. If you’d like to keep up Cooper’s work, you can hop on over to Instagram and follow him. If you want to add prints of his illustrations to your collection, you can do so at his Etsy shop.

Do you create any sort of fan art? I want to see it, all of it. Whether you focus on a specific fandom or pull inspiration from multiple stories, I’d like to highlight your portfolio. If you’d like to be featured in a future Fan Art Friday gallery, get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com and show me examples of your work.

Images: Brian Cooper

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Mark Brown’s YouTube, the Game Maker’s Toolkit, is like a masterclass in video game design.  On “Boss Keys,” Brown has been breaking down and thoroughly exploring the dungeons of classic Legend Of Zelda games, but his one on Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask might be the best one yet.

Giving Majora’s Mask a bit of context (it only had a year of development and used Ocarina Of Time’s game engine), Brown then analyzes the key components on what makes the four dungeons in this time-traveling psychedelic adventure game unique. He discusses the Great Bay Temple and the thoughtful approach of learning the water’s flow, and why the Stone Tower Temple encourages exploration of the space itself rather than a mad dash from point A to point B. Take a look at the video, and why not check out his Patreon as well. You’ll never look at Legend Of Zelda the same way again.

What kind of dungeons are your favorite? Do you have a Legend Of Zelda game you want ‘Boss Keys’ to cover next? Let us know in the comments below!

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As the summer season draws to a close, students everywhere are preparing for what will hopefully be another successful year in their educational career. We may have evolved from hand-crank pencils sharpeners to laptops in every classroom, but there are still a few essentials everyone needs with them on their quest for knowledge.

Rey’s Backpack

The latest installment of the Star Wars legacy, The Force Awakens, introduced us to exciting new characters, which in turn provides fans opportunities to celebrate the fandom in all new ways with props, merch, and costumes like never before. Here, ThinkGeek and GameStop came together to ensure that the film’s protagonist, Rey, travels with us wherever we go, even into the classroom.

Pack this Rey-inspired backpack with all of the materials you need for your very own adventure, and expect numerous compliments because not only is it semi-replica of her bag, but it also includes a patch of the Jedi-in-training herself atop a super cool speedster.

Doctor Who Pencils

Sure, phones, laptops, and e-books have replaced many of our former units of communication, but you can never be too prepared when it comes to your education. As any Whovian will understand, you have to approach the situation with the right tools, and the most classic instrument for anyone, other than The Doctor himself who would obviously prefer his screwdriver, would be a pencil.

Remember, books are the best weapons, and be sure to listen to your instructors, especially if their classrooms are bigger on the inside.

Legend of Zelda Journal

Conquer your assignments with help from this Gate of Time-inspired Legend of Zelda journal, because don’t we all need a little time travel now and again?

The notebook includes 120 pages of space for all of your note-taking, doodling, and scribbling needs, and will look just magical in your book bag next to your flute and magical rod.

Personalized Comic Style Lunchbox

The best part of the school day, and any day ever to be honest, is meal time. Food is essential to life, so it’s important to be sure that yours is safe, sound, and properly labeled. Look no further than these personalized lunch boxes featuring the ever-popular retro comic design.

“Wham”, “bam”, and “pow” your way to a tasty lunch, and fuel your learning without fear of losing your cool. Impossible to do with the coolest lunch box of them all.

“Potter” Patronus Patch

For a subtle representation of your passion for geekdom, this sew on patch will add just the right flair to a jacket or backpack for tracking down others with an interest in the boy-who-lived.

Start off your school year with the most important introduction of all, what is your patronus, anyway? Highly important information if you’re ever traveling on a train to school and happen to run into any nasty Dementors.

How are you preparing for the upcoming school year? Share any particularly geeky supplies you may have purchased in the comments below, or tell me about them over on Twitter!

Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Harry Potter

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Last week, we shared our ideas for 5 Franchises We Want Adapted Into D&D Games. You agreed with most of them and enthusiastically shared your thoughts on franchises you wanted to see as tabletop roleplaying games. You also made it pretty clear that these games don’t necessarily need to use the Dungeons & Dragons-specific d20 system. As all gamers know, with a bit of creativity, you can form a system for just about any world you want. Systems like Savage Worlds and GURPS, have made it especially easy to devise unique worlds.

Well not every game master has the kind of time to adapt a custom system. So what are your top picks that you want made into official RPGs?

The Elder Scrolls

The Elder Scrolls tops the list for many reasons. It’s a high fantasy that offers both classical and atypical races; as well as a multitude of continents, factions, combat styles, and religions. Since 1994, the lore has become utterly massive. So massive, that you could spend over 100 hours playing Skyrim without ever touching the main plot. All the details for a great roleplaying system are there. Now, it just needs to be built. There is an unofficial d20 homebrew system, but it would be amazing to see Bethesda team up with an experienced RPG publisher.

Fallout

Much like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout offers a highly detailed world to make into your roleplaying sandbox. Fallout: New Vegas project director J.E. Sawyer actually created his own Fallout RPG system, but it’s unofficial. This series offers a twisted dystopia you can build up or destroy. The setting takes the concept of a post World War II alternate universe where the transistor was never invented and everything is kind of stuck in a 1950s Cold War Americana mentality with some high-tech weaponry. Oh, and those Vaults that were supposed to protect and repopulate America? Well they weren’t as innocent as everyone expected. Fallout‘s setting offers story flexibility for journeys of self-discovery, mystery, and battling ultimate evil.

Naruto

You’re a ninja, Harry! Naruto makes for a fun choice because even though everyone is a human-esque ninja…..EVERYONE IS A HUMAN-ESQUE NINJA! If you can think of a ninjustu power, then you can do it. You could build powers and belief systems based on your clan. You can train to learn new skills and go on missions to level up. There are plenty of evil forces and rivals to serve as antagonists.

The Witcher

The Witcher makes for a good tabletop game because it offers a solid base lore and flexibility in character creation. You could have a game full of genetically enhanced Witchers, each with their own specialties. The party can affiliate themselves with the Scoia’tael or the Order of the Flaming Rose or neither. But beyond the monsters lies the complexity of the moral choices. No decision should ever be easy, which makes The Witcher an excellent choice for players looking for a dark and highly dramatic narrative.

Legend of Zelda

Because who wouldn’t want to quest through Hyrule for the Triforce? A Legend of Zelda game would be ideal for a lighthearted adventure for players who enjoy exploration by land, air, or sea. It would also be a smart choice for younger players or those looking to create a “good” aligned party of heroes. The lore is available to flesh out the world, but it’s not so complicated that failing to grasp the details wouldn’t spoil the fun. Just don’t come crying to us when your GM makes you traverse the Water Temple.

What kinds of adventures would you want in these worlds?  Share your thoughts in the comments!

Image credits: Bethesda, Viz Media, CD Projeckt Red, Nintendo

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Some would argue that video games occupy the same corner of pop culture today which pulp fiction took up in the 30s and 40s. There’s the same spread of genres–from hardboiled crime to space opera and sword & sorcery–and Sam Spade, Solomon Kane, and Buck Rogers were very much the Max Payne, Geralt of Rivia, and Samus Aran of their day. Artist Astor Alexander noticed these parallels and decided to make the connection a bit more literal with a stylish series of faux covers.

What if BioShock actually came out as a book in the same era as The Fountainhead? What if Mario, Link and the Princesses Peach and Zelda all starred in detective yarns? What if Metroid were sold on the same shelf as Flash Gordon and The Lensmen? The softcovers would look like these, most likely.

Astor runs much farther with this conceit throughout his gallery, putting the Witcher and even Super Smash Brothers through the same retro make-over. Seeing Geralt and Yennefer play some Long Goodbye dress-up is definitely a stitch. A special stand-out, however, might be the Zelda piece, which swaps Conan and Thoth Amon out for Link and Ganondorf in a cover that definitely would’ve fit on Weird Tales.

Astor even expands his focus to include the pulpy purview of shonen anime, with multi-part covers devoted to the chapters of Dragonball Z‘s storied “Androids Saga.” Toriyama’s designs would seem a few universes away from pulp style, but these takes on Cell, Dr. Gero and Androids 17 and 18 seem almost shockingly appropriate. You can find all of these and more over on his DeviantArt page.

Have any of these covers made you look at pulp/game parallels in a new light? Which contemporary video games are the pulpiest? Hit the talkback with your thoughts and ideas.

Image Credits: Astor Alexander

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You stand on the Great Plateau, fields and forests before you. There is a large pond, some ruins, and, of course, packs of monsters. This is the newest Legend of Zelda game, Breath of the Wild, but you don’t just run forward to hack and slash. In this latest epic, you still embody the hero Link, but you face a constant challenge unlike any before–surviving the world.

To take on the goblins in the distance, I have to find a tree branch to use as a weapon. When that gets destroyed mid-battle, I seek another so that I can defend myself. When the monsters are finally defeated, my health is low. Killing enemies or cutting grass no longer yields little cartoon hearts that heal me. Now, I must forage for food to restore myself, so I climb a small cliff to get to the mushrooms on top.

I continue exploring. I can only run through the plain so long, swim in a lake so far, scale a craggy cliff so high before Link has to stop to catch his breath. Link now has a stamina meter, and when it empties, he may drown or fall or halt a dash, leaving himself at the mercy of his enemies. I can sneak though, watching a little sound meter to see if I am quiet enough to creep past a stone giant that suddenly appears ahead.

A trip to snowy mountains means I have to find warmer clothes, or else take damage from the cold. A search for the right outfit fails, so I resort to cooking a variety of ingredients until I find a recipe for a meal that warms me up enough to survive the chill–for now. And I know I will likewise need the appropriate garb or morsel for a desert trek, lest I overheat. Yes, there are forests and deserts and icy lands, as well as other terrains in this version of Hyrule–a world that is 12 times larger than the one found in Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

I face fight after fight as I travel the vast open world. My weapons continuously break. After each encounter with a group of monsters, I have to prioritize the weapons I collect. Should I use up this spear first? This flaming stick? Do I save the rusty sword for a tougher enemy? Or just use it now so that I don’t have to rely on the more fragile wooden weapons for a while? Inevitably, my last tree branch snaps and I use my bow and my small handful of arrows to ensure that I see another day.

Some traversing later and I stop for the night, but the rain snuffs out my campfire. Lightning hits my metal sword, shocking me. I grab a burning branch to use as a weapon for now. The grasses around me burn, and as the rain stops, the wind continues to howl, spreading the wildfire across the plain. I depart and manage to reach the next Shrine.

There are over 100 Shrines of Trials throughout Hyrule, and with my accomplishment of each Trial–whether it is one of courageous battle or ingenious puzzle–I will be rewarded. Perhaps I will gain an ingredient I can use one day to craft a better piece of equipment, or maybe I will find a new rune, granting magical powers to assist me. One such Trial later, and the power of magnetism is at my fingertips. Moving some large objects allows me to cross a pond, go down a path, reach new places in my travels.

There is a tall cliff to my left, a pocket of trees on top. I can’t climb there yet, since I don’t have enough stamina. Any place I can see, I can travel too–if I find a way. A huge volcano looms in the distance. Maybe my explorations will lead to the right set of armor, the right Trial to gain some ice magic, the right weapon to take on whatever behemoth lives there. And I know there are still the ubiquitious dungeons and bosses ahead that I must overcome.

Conquering that volcano on the horizon will be an ordeal for sure, but if I can somehow live to reach the summit, what great discovery will I make? What tool will I find to make my quest endurable? It is with such hope, and tension for the next life-threatening obstacle, that I take the next step forward on my journey.

What do you think about Nintendo’s new direction for the Legend of Zelda series? Leave your comments below.

All images are from Nintendo’s E3 Conference. You can watch the conference and gameplay videos here.

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Nintendo does things a little differently at E3. Instead of one single panel, Nintendo has devoted the whole day to covering their games. This year, Nintendo Of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé stated that they are mostly going to be covering their new Legend Of Zelda game, showing off the new open world design and various new-to-the series mechanics with playthroughs, but there was some new Pokémon reveals as well. So let’s get into it.

Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

“Open your eyes.”

A mysterious voice stirs Link to attention as he comes to in this trailer. We are treated to beautifully expansive landscapes in a style that reminds me of a mix of Wind Waker and Skyward Sword. Diving straight into the action, we see Link climb trees, knock over boulders, steal weapons and items from enemies, collect resources, build fires to cook food, and more. The way Link interacts seamlessly with his environment has already got me frothing at the mouth.

Watching the first couple playthroughs, it’s clear that you can explore the world the way YOU want. You can do things like set the grass on fire to distract enemies, chop down a tree to cross a chasm, use a potlid as a shield, and even kill a skeleton with its own arm. You have a new piece of equipment the Sheikah Slate (a steampunk looking PDA) that’ll help you plan your routes by marking locations and or study enemies to plan your attack. Legend Of Zelda game designer Eiji Aonuma noted that with the new open world, you will still get a sense of the story, but you can explore it at your own pace. The music also reflects the less liner storytelling, encouraging whimsy, exploration, and adventure.

Aonuma said that he wanted to make a Zelda game that breaks all the conventions, and by the looks of the trailer and these initial playthroughs, the possibilities already look limitless. Legend Of Zelda: Breath of The Wild be out on the Wii U and Nintendo’s next generation system, the NX next year (although on Amazon the pre-order lists it as available on Wii U December 30th, 2016). There will also be new Legend Of Zelda-themed Miitomo items released today at 3pm Pacific Time, so be sure to grab them for yourself!

Pokémon Sun and Moon

Nintendo fans also got an extended look at Pokémon Sun and Moon, arriving on the Nintendo 3DS this November 18th. Besides checking out the brand new tropical Alola region, we saw our player exploring the island, battling wild Pokémon, and even catching two brand new Pokémon–the weasel-esque Yungoos and the woodpecker-like Pikipek. Refinements to the battle system include the ability to check out changing stats in real time (like attack, defense, speed) so that you can plan your moves more efficiently, which gives better insight to old and new players alike. It was revealed that trainers and Pokémon now share the battlefield together so you really get a sense of scale. It looks like Pokémon Sun and Moon will be the most immersive Pokémon experience yet!

So tell us, are you excited for Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild? What were your favorite moments from the trailer? What are you looking forward to do the most in this new open world version of Hyrule? Also let us know your favorite of the three new starter pokémon in the comments below!

The post The New Legend Of Zelda Game Is Unbelievably Vast And Full Of Possibility appeared first on Nerdist.

You’re strolling down a side street, listening to some music, when you notice something out of the corner of your eye. Your instinct tells you that you should take a look. Pausing your music, you approach a colorful object on the ground. You lean forward to examine it and realize what lies before you is a treasure chest emblazoned with the Triforce symbol from The Legend of Zelda.

Photo credit: Rebecca L. Bennett

The strange thing is, this is actually happening in Austin, TX. Artist Ezekiel Buchheit has been hiding handmade Zelda trinkets around the city, purely for fun for years. The items include crocheted bombs, sprite-styled mini swords, keychains, Triforce necklaces, and even treasure chests. Plus it’s totally cool for anyone to pick up the item and take it. One time, he placed peeler bead swords under a bridge and a notice that read “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”

Photo credit Ezekiel Buchheit via Kotaku

Buchheit told Austin.com:

“I just thought it would be a little fun and surreal if you were out hiking and, holy shit, there’s a treasure chest off the road… If you don’t know what Zelda is and you find it, it’s still cool. If you do know what Zelda is, then it’s bonus cool.”

Buchheit started his handmade adventure by inserting piranha plants into local community gardens. From there, he attached items to walls under bridges and hiding chests with items inside. Some people have even replaced the treasures they take with other goodies such as movie and lottery tickets. Currently, Buchheit is collaborating with fellow artists to create a full fledged scavenger hunt. He hopes that others will continue to spread the magic of surprise and adventure. If you’d like to get involved, you can reach him through his Tumblr page Hyrule In Austin.

Currently, Buchheit only works out of Austin, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and sprinkle some fantasy into your own city. What do you think you would want to do in your hometown? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image credit: Nintendo

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School is back in session and there are plenty of supplies you’ll need, but how will you carry them? How about with your own hand-made bag that features your favorite geeky stuff? Here is a list of some really fun tutorials that will help you make the coolest backpack around!

Dr. Who

This bag is certain to keep you from going all wibbly wobbly from the massive amounts of homework headed your way. While this tutorial might not make a Tardis, it does use recycled clothing to make a shoulder bag worthy of the Doctor himself. You won’t even need a sonic screwdriver to put it together!

For this project you’ll need a tweed jacket, an ivory button-down shirt, a red bow tie, two matching leather belts, waxed thread, and a thick needle with a wide eye. Most of these things you can find at a local thrift shop or conveniently in your Grandpa’s closet.

Image Credit: DIY Ready

To make the bag you’ll be layering the shirt and jacket and cutting off the sleeves. Then you’ll sew around the edges, line the bag, add the bow tie (bow ties are cool!), and attach the belts as a strap. The bag requires a little bit of sewing, but is relatively easy to make.

You can check out the full tutorial on DIY Ready

Legend of Zelda

Image Credit: Animus-Panthera/DeviantArt

It’s educational to go alone. Take this Hylian Shield backpack to protect you valuables! This bag uses fabric and felt, but I have seen amazing bags made similarly with leather. You can also adapt the design to make any of link’s shields.

Image Credit: Animus-Panthera/DeviantArt

To make this bag you need a 1/2 yard blue fabric, interfacing, a zipper, nylon belting and buckles to make the straps, and silver, yellow, and red felt. You’ll need to find a reference picture of the shield you want to make and then cut your fabric to the shape of the shield. The interfacing will make the fabric of the shield stiff to stand up the weight of your books or against random Octorok attacks. This tutorial is slightly harder than the last one as you’ll have to do some creative cutting to create the design for the shield and you’ll be adding a zipper to the bag. If you can master these skills then you might truly be ready to wield the Master Sword.

You can find the rest of the tutorial by Animus-Panthera on DeviantArt.

Your Favorite Book

Image Credit:HungryPanda

If you don’t need to lug around anything large or want to make a book-turducken then this tutorial is for you! The book bag (pun intended) is not just great for carrying around school stuff, but also makes a great every day bag for any book lover.

For this project you’ll need a book, fabric, an exacto knife, glue, needle and thread, Velcro, and purse handles (You can find these at craft stores, but if you prefer a clutch then you don’t need them).

Image Credit:HungryPanda

This one is pretty simple to put together and you can use any hardcover book you like. To make the bag you are going to have to cut out the book pages. It makes the librarian in me weep, but it is for a good cause and you can always use the pages for other projects like collages or covering your school books. Once the cover is free of the pages you’ll add the handles and cover the inside with cloth. Then it is just a matter of sewing a pocket to be glued between the covers and adding a bit of Velcro to help hold it shut. You can get really fancy and glue on a nice clasp if you prefer.
You can find the full tutorial on HungryPanda

The D20 Bag

Image Credit: Evil Mad Scientist

This is another smaller bag, but you can make it a size category larger easily by scaling up the pattern. It is also perfect for gamers who want an amazing dice bag. It looks like there are a lot of pieces, but you are really only cutting out three shapes so don’t fret!

 Image Credit: Evil Mad Scientist

For this pattern you’ll need fabric for the outside and for the lining, iron-on numbers, interfacing, a cord for the handle, and a zipper. Once you cut all of the shapes out it is just a matter of assembly. This is one of the more complicated bags, but when it is done it looks fantastic (Just be careful not to roll a 1 while building it).

The pattern for the bag is available on the Evil Mad Scientist site along with the tutorial.

Fast and Easy T-Shirt Bag

Image Credit: Sewmargaretsew/Instructables

This is the easiest bag to make by far. Have a t-shirt laying around and need a bag in under 5 minutes? We’ve got you covered! All you need to do is take a beloved t-shirt, cut off the arms, cut out a half circle around the neck area, and sew the bottom of the shirt together. I took my favorite  Captain America t-shirt and was able to create a bag in no time flat!

Image credit: Jessica Fisher

What I would suggest, is if you are intending to carry heavy stuff in these bags, you should probably add some interfacing to stiffen the fabric and reinforce it. Especially if you are using an older t-shirt that might be a little worn out.

This tutorial is available on Instructables.

Have you already made your own bag? Let us know what you created in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: DIY Ready

The post DIY for Back to School: Make Your Own Geeky Bags appeared first on Nerdist.

Depending on how old you are, you may or may not remember what some refer to as “The Dark Times.”  What is that you might ask? It’s that age of anarchy, chaos, and utter lawlessness that was life before the debut of the light…The Nintendo Entertainment System.

Hyperbole aside, there is a distinct marker and dividing line of life Before NES and after. Today we take for grated this fun age full of promise and innocence as we wait for the latest Arkham, Halo, or Mortal Kombat, but there was once a time when the expectation of a satisfying home video game experience was barely a reality.

The world of video game entertainment certainly wasn’t born with the introduction of the NES, but it was its introduction that caused the shift we see today in which video game consoles rule the roost.

The early 1980’s was known for its Arcades, rows and rows of video game cabinets lining the walls, and standing before them were crowds of pre and post pubescent warriors waiting to prove their worth in pixel showdowns. Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Asteroids, Centipede, these were the machines that started the craze that called us in droves to drop quarter after quarter into coin slots across the world.

When the Nintendo Entertainment System made its debut, it was the very first time that the experience of the arcade met the experience we could have at home. Sure there was Atari, Colecovision, and even the Commodore-64 before it, but the NES brought Video Arcade graphics, and imaginative fun into the home. This boom in accessiblity at home marked the first steps in the decline of venturing out to the arcades. The proof? If you look around now, the only arcades that exist are as attractions or hold-overs from a bye-gone era. They are no longer destinations, they are mostly museums.

The creation and proliferation of the NES also gave rise to smaller video game studios and companies as there was increased demand for content. No longer “stuck” with a limited number of cabinets, the market for games doubled and tripled as even niche experiences were able to find their way into the hands of gamers. The extreme fun of gaming could be experienced for hour upon hour sometimes into the dead of night. We were taken away to vistas and dreamworlds that we never before dreamnt.

The NES was revolutionary because it brought power to match the most powerful systems around, coupled with ease and availability. It sparked a 30 year (and counting) evolution of interactive entertainment that will only keep expanding as time goes on.

Thirty years on we look back on those days with nostalgia and from time to time dust off the classics just to remember what it feels like to get back to basics. Here are just a few of the old school standouts that made the NES the cultural phenomena that it was.

1) Super Mario Bros

It feels like the grand daddy of them all even if it really isn’t in terms of video game history. Others may have come before it, but only Mario still dominates as the face of the company into present day. Appearing on hundreds of different titles and variations since, Mario and his cast of characters are powerhouses that look to be around for years to come.

2) The Legend of Zelda

Zelda was the introduction for most US gamers into the world of adventure and fantasy gaming. The epic ongoing struggle along with its ability to let us continue our quest gave rise to a love for Link and all his struggles. Appearing on nearly every Nintendo system since, and with rumors of it having its own Netflix show, Zelda’s first steps into greatness on the NES will never be forgotten.

3) Duck Tales

Coming along later in the life of the system, Duck Tales is still a favorite for anyone you’d ask. A popular television show at the time, the video game helped recreate some of the zany fun and take it to our consoles. The first in a line of Disney games such as Tiny Toons and TailSpin, Duck Tales will always be the one that we hold the fondest memories of playing.

What is your favorite NES memory/game? Share them with us in the comments!

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